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As the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup is being held in the Middle East this time, there are some strict laws in place that the fans will have to follow if they are to watch the games without any hindrance. Not having extramarital sex is one such strict law that the fans will have to keep in mind when they visit Qatar this winter for the quadrennial event.
As the country operates under strict Sharia Law, extramarital sex can land fans in huge trouble, and hence the officials have warned them to be aware. Any extramarital sexual escapade during the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar could result in a seven-year jail sentence. "Sex is very much off the menu unless you are coming as a husband-and-wife team," reports the Daily Star reports quoting UK police.
"There definitely will be no one-night stands at this tournament. There will be no partying at all really. Everyone needs to keep their heads about them unless they want to risk being stuck in prison... There is essentially a sex ban in place at this year's World Cup for the first time ever. Fans need to be prepared,” they added.
In December 2021, the chairman of the local organising committee Nasser Al-Khater had said that “homosexuality is not allowed” in the country, however, LGTBIQ+ fans will be allowed to attend matches. "Qatar and the region are a lot more conservative," Al-Khater told CNN. "And this is what we ask fans to respect. And we're sure that fans will respect that."
No public drinking either!
It is going to be a bitter-sweet experience for the fans, especially for those coming from European countries as drinking in public is prohibited in Qatar. In fact, it is a crime in the Sharia Law-abiding country. Also, there is a provision for the death penalty for those who are found smuggling cocaine to Qatar. However, there is some relief for the fans as reports have claimed that Qatar would permit alcohol consumption during the event and fan zones would be established.